50 The Irish Naturalist. April, 



In his account of the habits of the two species Mr. Hinton 

 points out that while rattus " is essentially an arboreal or 

 climbing animal," norvegicus " is essentially a water-loving 

 and burrowing animal — it drinks freely, and displays great 

 skill as a swimmer and diver." Hence it abounds along 

 watercourses and in drains and sewers. The rat population 

 of Great Britain has been estimated as approximately equal 

 to the human population, and the damage caused by rats in 

 the destruction of foodstuffs in farmyards, granaries and 

 storehouses amounts to £10,000,000 or £15,000,000 a year. 

 The access of rats from sewers and other filthy haunts into 

 dwelling-houses affords abundant opportunity for the spread 

 of disease, and that these rodents through their fleas transmit 

 bubonic plague to mankind is now well known. 



Several pages are devoted to a discussion as to the possi- 

 bility of exterminating rats, and Mr. Hinton concludes that 

 " the work of destruction, to succeed, must be undertaken 

 simultaneously all over the country — and it must be con- 

 tinued so long as a breeding stock of rats remains." 

 Systematic trapping and poisoning may do much, and 

 " the fullest protection should be afforded to all 

 Stoats, Weasels, Owls and Kestrels." The House Mouse, 

 though less noxious than the Brown Rat, is very destructive 

 to food-stores and a possible carrier of disease ; every effort 

 should be made to reduce the population of mice as well as 

 of rats. Mr. Hinton's discussion on the " Balance of Nature" 

 and the protection of Carnivora appeals to all naturalists. 

 He emphasises how the ignorant war waged against so-called 

 " vermin " leaves no effective check on the high fecundity 

 of rats and mice — originally alien species — which " has been 

 developed apparently to enable them to survive the many 

 attacks to which they are exposed." 



The pamphlet concludes with notes on the structure and 

 classification of the Muridae,with a key to the British species. 

 This is illustrated by clear figures of the skulls and teeth 

 of the animals. Mr. Hinton remarks on " one of the most 

 astonishing features in the distribution " of the sub-family 

 Microtinae, " that, although remains of lemmings occur 

 in great abundance in the Pleistocene cave-deposits of 

 Ireland, there is apparently no trace at all of either fossil 

 or living Voles in that country." 



